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Heavy rain storm pounds Winder, sparks three fires

This home on Emma Lane was heavily damaged by fire after being struck by lightning during heavy storms Monday in Winder, Ga. (Richard Hamm/Staff) OnlineAthens / Athens Banner-Herald

Powerful lightning, heavy rain and high winds from storms over Barrow County kept firefighters and emergency crews busy late Sunday.

The storm was mainly centered over the city of Winder, where lighting sparked a fire at one home and caused two more fires on the outskirts of town, according to Barrow County Emergency Services Lt. Scott Dakin.

There were no serious injuries reported as a result of the storm, Dakin said.

“The city of Winder was hit by the worst of it. They had a lot of trees down and power lines down,” he said.

Dakin didn’t immediately know on Monday on how many homes lost power.

“I don’t know the exact amount of rain that came down, but I have a pool in my backyard and it went up about 2 and half inches,” Dakin said. “It came down heavy, hard and fast.”

Firefighters were able to contain a house fire on Hiram Way, but Dakin said the home suffered smoke damage throughout. A roof on a home on Emma Lane in Winder was also damaged by lightning, according to reports. The house sustained heavy damage, a spokeswoman for the Winder fire department told WSB TV.

The powerful storm apparently centered around Winder, as Auburn, to the west, had little rain, and no damage was reported to the east in nearby Statham, authorities said.